Buffalo Sabres look to rebuild with a deep NHL draft

The massive crane that sits just outside the First Niagara Center has become part of the Buffalo skyline now that construction has ramped up on the HARBORcenter.

A crane of equal magnitude might be needed for the project’s next-door neighbor, the Buffalo Sabres.

The Sabres know they’re not good enough to compete for the Stanley Cup, declaring in April that roster reconstruction is underway. This weekend could very well determine how long the rebuild will take.

The Sabres have two of the first 16 picks in the NHL draft — and four of the first 52 — and its a draft class that experts say is the best in a decade. Start time is 3 p.m. Sunday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (NBC Sports Network has coverage).

Buffalo selects twice in the first round (No. 8 and 16) and owns 10 total selections in the seven rounds.

Among the prospects quite likely in play for them in the first round: centers Elias Lundbolm or Alexander Wennberg of Sweden, Russian winger Valeri Nichuskin, Canadian defenseman Darnell Nurse, Finnish defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, Swiss defenseman Mirco Mueller and Canadian center Bo Horvat.

“I’m excited because it adds to a group of young players we already have: (Johan) Larsson, (Zemgus) Girgensons, (Mikhail) Grigorenko, (Mark) Pysyk ... and even the slightly older group in (Marcus) Foligno, (Tyler) Myers, (Tyler) Ennis and (Cody) Hodgson,” general manager Darcy Regier said.

“So when you look at the bigger picture and you include two good second-round picks in what is a good draft, it provides a real solid opportunity for us to project down the road in a year or two and look at a group of very good young players.”

That said, Regier knows the ideal scenario would be to orchestrate a trade for a top three slot and a shot to select center Nathan MacKinnon, defenseman Seth Jones or left winger Jonathan Drouin. They’re the consensus Big Three.

The problem with making a trade: Regier says the teams with the first three picks — Colorado, Florida and Tampa Bay — don’t want to move.

“Early there was some ‘Let me think about it,’” Regier said regarding a willingness of the Avalanche, Panthers and Lightning to talk trade. “(Now) it’s, ‘no, we’re going to make the pick.’”

It’s possible that one of those teams is holding out to leverage its position, but not likely. MacKinnon, Jones and Drouin are considered potential franchise players.

Thus, Regier and his chief talent assessor, Kevin Devine, appear to be content to draft where they’re at for the first pick.

“At No. 8, we’re going to get a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman,” Devine said. “The cost to move up to get that franchise player would also set us back depth-wise.”

Plus, the Sabres’ first of two second-round picks is No. 38 overall. That slot would, in most years, be equivalent to a first-round selection, Devine said.

A trade down is possible; moving the 16th selection for a package that would still allow them to pick in the top 25. “Ten to 20 or 25, those players are very, very close,” Devine said of the prospect ratings.

The Sabres also could put left winger Thomas Vanek and goalie Ryan Miller into play in draft-weekend deals. They become unrestricted free agents next summer, likely won’t want to be part of the rebuilding process, and may need to be traded in order to recoup something of value.

Regier would only say he will “explore all the available options. Ideally I would like to keep them here, both of them.”

Their salary demands, along with their willingness to stay, will be major factors in any contract offers. And both could be in play when the Sabres talk trade on the draft floor.